Rodale's Basic Natural Foods Cookbook

I love this cookbook. It shows you how to make exciting dishes that turn out perfectly, just the way they should. Everything is made from scratch and the herbs and spices are included with each recipe. I have not had a single menu go wrong using this cookbook. They have a refreshing twist on old favorites. They put together ingredients in recipes that I would have never thought about. They have large sections in each chapter explaining about fresh foods and everything you want to know. This is a MUST HAVE for the serious cook who doesn't want to cook out of cans of boxes, this is made from scratch and excellent.

I don't want to repeat the comments that are already here, but do have to say this cookbook is EXCELLENT. There is LOTS of info here besides recipes. Altho there are meat dishes, there are tons of vegetarian dishes as well. I love that the chapter on desserts shows how to make treats a little more healthy, and there are many that are just so EASY, I've tried several in the past week alone. Also have to mention I used to know this great Italian deli that made the best rice balls but I moved far away from that neighborhood a few years ago and always missed them. I hadn't been able to duplicate them on my own. In this book I found a dish called Suppli al Telefono... I finally found a recipe that tastes just like the rice balls I loved from the deli! Altho I do use white rice the recipe calls for brown. I love the recipes they give for peanut butter sauces too. (Excellent peanut butter soup too.) I decided on 5 stars because it really is a cookbook I will keep for all the years to come and hand down to my children when they move out on their own.

This is by far THE BEST cookbook I own ( & I have a lot!) - several years ago when my family decided to change our eating habits for the better, we chose this cookbook from the shelves of a very large bookstore, hoping the variety & detailed information were what we needed. Boy, was it--just about every cooking or food question I've had over the years has been answered in these pages. . .there's detailed charts on different types of foods (veggies, spices, etc) & information about uncommon foods (natural sweeteners, soy products, etc) but most importantly are the actual recipes. From the basics to the unusual, this book has something that I can either use directly or easily adapt to how I eat or what ingredients are on hand. Whether you're vegetarian, vegan, limiting carbs, or just wanting to eat better, this book belongs in your kitchen.

I turn to this book again and again to get recipes for herb and spice blends, such as curry powder. The Herb and spice reference table is invaluable when you need to make a substitution to accommodate your cupboard. The "Before You Start to Cook" section has great info for beginners and chefs. Each section begins with guidelines for buying, storing and serving. If I have a question regarding anything to do with food , I'll pick up this book first.